Since the subsidy removal and the high price of fuel, everything in Nigeria has increased by over 100%, including road trips, as more Nigerians are now becoming sceptical about travelling from their states of residence to other parts of the country for business and other engagements due to the high transport fare paid on a one-week road trip.
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The inter-state transport in the country that used to be the most affordable option for the average Nigerian has become a luxury overnight. The reality? Most Nigerians cannot afford to transport themselves to and fro the country. It’s as though everything has become designed for the rich in the country, including public transportation.
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Between June till late July 2023, the prices of inter-state public transportation skyrocketed following the subsidy removal. GIG transport fare from Aba to Abuja went from about N18,600 in mid-June to over N26,700 by late July, over a 55% increase from the original price.
Through a recent investigation conducted, transporters revealed that fares that were about N11,500 and N12,500 had increased to N26,000 and N33,500 for one passenger.
The report realized that a GUO Hiace bus trip from Lagos to Owerri currently costs N26,000, while Lagos to Abuja costs as much as N33,000, and Lagos to Port Harcourt costs a swooping N27,000.
On the same note, a bus ticket with God is Good Motors from Aba to Lagos costs N26,000; Uyo to Lagos going for N28,300; Asaba to Lagos going for N25,000, while Edo to Lagos, which isn’t up to a day’s journey costs N21,3000.
Speaking to the publication, a mother of four said: “With the cost of travelling by road hitting the rooftop in the past two months, embarking on a road trip has become very expensive such that intended travellers must save up for a longer time to be able to secure seats.”
Speaking to the publication, the woman explained that a woman died in their compound early in the year, and the family decided to fix the burial by September to give them enough time to raise funds. However, it has turned to be that the decision was wrong as prices of things and transportation keep increasing, as she and her husband have to set aside about N350,000 just for transportation.
She tells the publication: “I don’t know what this country is turning into and where we are heading to with this rising cost of living. It is becoming very difficult for the poor man and their families to survive.”
Mike Ugwu, a Lagos-based businessman, told the publication that travelling within Nigeria has become a luxury as many cannot afford to leave their homes anymore. Explaining to the publication, Mike Ugwu stated that he spent N17,500 for a trip from Lagos to Enugu two weeks ago when the price of fuel was still between N488 and N515.
GUO Transport Company driver, Ogochukwu David, told the publication that high pump price was seriously affecting transport business in Nigeria.
According to him, the company spends over N95,000 per one-way trip to fuel the Toyota Sienna that he uses for interstate journeys, which has the capacity to carry just seven passengers.
Speaking to Anthony Elechi, a Lagos-based civil engineer whose son schools in one of the universities in Abia State, he expressed his worries to the publication over the impact of high transportation fares on family expenditure.
According to him, the son’s school will soon vacate, and he has gone to inquire about the transport fare from Abia State to Lagos, only to discover that it is nothing less than N26,000.
He states:
“I am presently looking for where to get N30,000 to fund the return of my son to Lagos when their school vacates. Transport is N26,000, but I have to raise about N30,000 so that he can take the vehicle to the park and also have pocket money while on the journey. This boy left for school in January, and we have been talking on the phone since then. Therefore, he needs to be with his family after such a long time.
“My greatest concern is that after their vacation, we need to raise at least N300,000 for him to return to school because the tuition fee, which was a little above N50,000 before, is now almost N100,000. This is aside another N100,000 for accommodation, before taking about money for feeding and other school supplies. To live in Nigeria is really tough these days.”
This is the current reality of many Nigerians as public transportation which once was the affordable option for many Nigerians has suddenly become inaccessible for a large percentage of the country.
As many clamour over the cost of inter-state travel, intra-state transportation cost is not left out. On Twitter, many young Nigerians have expressed worry over the increased cost of transportation, both public transport like Danfo in Lagos and Bolt.
Some stated that Bolt transport for the same distance, which was once between N1,000 to N1,500 in the country’s capital city, Abuja, has suddenly increased to N3,000 and N3,500.
In places like Lagos where transportation has always been expensive, the cost has skyrocketed as well as most Lagosians are beginning to find new ways to adapt to the harsh reality.
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